Stackable rack for folding chairs



June 14, 1960 .1. MACHIELSE ETAL 2,940,597

STACKABLE RACK FOR FOLDING CHAIRS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 19, 1958 IWL Lw .HW ON..

NVENTOR Jn Machzelse, Ezin j( Megan i115 Gerald Z. Tieazler BY Wigwam! ATTORNEY June 14, 1960 .1. MACHIELSE ETAL 2,940,597

STACKABLE RACK FOR FOLDING CHAIRS Filed May 19, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR La Mac'hieloe BY fmalaag ATTORNEY United States Patent O STACKABLE RACK FR FOLDING CHAIRS Jan Machielse, Erving B. Morgan, and Gerald L. Weaver, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 19, 1958, Ser. No. 736,162

1 Claim. (Cl. 211Z7) The present invention relates to racks and more particularly to stackable racks for folding chairs.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide an improved rack for the storage of folded folding chairs when the chairs are not in use; to provide such a rack which is so constructed as to be stackable with other, like racks, so that the loaded racks can be stacked up and thus occupy a minimum of floor area; and in general to provide such a stackable rack which is sturdy though economical n construction.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view showing three of the new racks loaded with folding chairs and stacked one upon another, and also showing a fork truck for stacking and unstacking the racks;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of one of the new racks;

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of one rack with another rack, shown fragmentarily, stacked thereon; and

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view of parts lthereof taken on line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Referring now in detail to these drawings the new rack as shown is primarily designed to accommodate folding chairs when in their folded condition for storage, although it might easily be modified to accommodate other articles. Each rack comprises four upright tubular metal corner posts 11 arranged in rectangular plan with the Width of the plan slightly greater than the combined widths of two of the folding chairs 10, and an articlefsupporting bed generally designated 12 secured to the corner posts 11 near the lower ends of said posts.

As here shown, the supporting bed 12 comprises side angle bars 13, end angle bars y14, and longitudinal inner angle bars 15. The side and end angle bars 13, 14 have their ends secured as by welding to the corner posts 11, and these angle bars 13, 14 have vertical anges and horizontal flanges extending inwardly from the lower edges of the vertical flanges. The inner angle bars 15 extend lengthwise of the rack near the longitudinal center of the rack and have their ends secured as by welding to the end angle bars 14. These inner angle bars 15 have vertical anges and horizontal flanges extending outwardly from the lower edges ofthe vertical ilanges. The side angle bars 13 and the inner angle bars 15 form pairs of supports for two rows of the folded chairs 10, the long legs of the chairs resting on the horizontal anges of these angle bars 13 and 15.

Patented June 14, 1960 ICC The rack is braced and strengthened by means of horizontal bars or rods 16 connecting the end pairs of corner posts 11 near their upper ends, side braces 17 of metal tubing attened at their ends and secured to the corner posts 11 and to the side angle lbars 13, end braces 18 of strip stock secured to the corner posts 11 and to the end angle bars 14, and bottom braces 19 of angle bar stock extending transversely of the rack and secured to the under surfaces of the side and inner angle bars 13 and 15. These parts are all desirably secured together by means of welding. I

The upper ends of the corner posts 11 have metal domes 20 fitted thereto and preferably welded in place. The lower ends of the corner posts 11 have downwardly divergent cones 21 of heavy gage pressed metal stock secured thereto as by means of welding 22 indicated in Figure 5. It will be seen that the cones 21 of the corner posts 11 of each rack are adapted to receive the domed upper ends of the corresponding corner posts 11 of a like rack so that one rack may be stacked on top of another. Figure 1 shows three of the racks loaded with folded chairs and stacked one upon another. The stacking and unstacking is accomplished by means of the fork truck 23 also seen in Figure 1.

lt will thus be seen that the invention provides a novel and highly useful stackable folding chair rack, and while but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same iS dened by the following claim.

VWe claim:

In a stackable rack for folding chairs: four upright tubular metal corner posts of greater height than said folding chairs and arranged in rectangular plan with the width of the plan slightly greater than the combined widths of two of the folding chairs; a pair of side angle bars and a pair of end angle bars connecting the corner posts at the sides and ends of the rack near'the lower ends of the corner posts, said angle bars having vertical flanges and horizontal anges extending inwardly from .the lower edges of the vertical anges; a pair o f inner angle bars extending lengthwise of the rack near the longitudinal center thereof and having their ends connected to said end angle bars, said inner angle bars having vertical flanges and horizontal anges extending outwardly from the lower edges of the vertical anges and forming with the side angle bars pairs of spaced Supports for the legs of the folding chairs; metal domes tted to the upper ends of said corner posts; and downwardly divergent metal cones secured to the lower ends of said corner posts and adapted to receive the domed upper ends of the corresponding corner posts of a like rack whereby one rack may be stacked on top of another.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 972,447 Harper Oct. 11, 1910 1,912,864 Stannard June 6, 1933 2,673,700 Eberhardt Mar. 30, 1954 2,844,344 Streb July 22, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 188,785 Great Britain Nov. 20, 1922 

